The present invention relates to a device for processing food items. More particularly, the Present invention relates to a dough processing and conveyor system for forming pressed pie crusts or dough discs from a dough ball and transporting the formed dough discs onto an output conveyor.
Boboli pizza pies have been popular in Europe for some time. Dough used to make Boboli pie crusts includes yeast so that the crust rises when cooked. Recently, the popularity of Boboli pizza pies in the U.S. has increased.
Dough balls used to form the Boboli pie crusts are conventionally formed by hand into flattened dough discs. The dough discs are then loaded onto a convey or which transports the dough discs through an oven to cook the dough discs or through a topping machine to spread various toppings on the discs. Forming pie crusts by hand makes mass production of the pie crusts expensive and time consuming.
One object of the present invention is to provide an automated system for rapidly forming dough balls into predetermined shapes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a processing system which is capable of efficiently processing dough balls having different sizes.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide means for transporting articles from an intermittently moving conveyor to a continuously moving conveyor without damaging the articles.
According to the present invention, a dough processing system is provided for forming dough balls. The processing system includes means for simultaneously forming at least two dough balls aligned in a predetermined pattern into predetermined shapes. The system also includes an intermittently moving forming conveyor including an input region for receiving dough balls aligned in the predetermined pattern. The input region of the forming conveyor transports the dough balls to a predetermined position below the forming means. The forming conveyor also includes an output region for transporting formed dough balls away from the forming means. A continuously moving delivery conveyor is provided including an input end situated above the input region of the forming conveyor for supplying a continuous stream of dough balls to the input region of the forming conveyor. Alignment means is located between the delivery conveyor and the forming conveyor for positioning the dough balls received from the output nd of the delivery conveyor in the predetermined pattern on the forming conveyor.
The processing system further includes a continuously moving output conveyor and transferring means for interconnecting the output region of the forming conveyor and the continuously moving output conveyor for transferring formed dough balls from the intermittently moving forming conveyor to the continuously moving output conveyor without damaging the formed dough balls. The forming conveyor includes a normally stationary forming conveyor belt and first drive means for intermittently moving the forming conveyor belt at a first predetermined speed. The output conveyor includes an output conveyor belt and second drive means for continuously moving the output conveyor at a second predetermined speed slower than the first predetermined speed.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the transferring means includes a transfer conveyor having a first end situated in close proximity to the output region of the forming conveyor for receiving articles from the forming conveyor and a second end situated in close proximity to the output conveyor for delivering articles to the output conveyor. The transferring means also includes third drive means for moving the transfer conveyor in a predetermined direction to transfer articles from the forming conveyor to the output conveyor. First control means is provided for coupling the third drive means to the first drive means only when the forming conveyor is moving so that the transfer conveyor moves at the first predetermined speed during movement of the forming conveyor to transfer articles from the forming conveyor to the transfer conveyor. Second control means is also provided for coupling the third drive means to the second drive means only when the forming conveyor is stationary so that the transfer conveyor moves at the second predetermined speed to transfer articles from the transfer conveyor to the output conveyor.
The transferring means further includes a transfer carriage assembly having a head roll defining the second end of the transfer carriage. Carriage moving means is provided for moving the transfer carriage in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction of movement of the transfer conveyor. The carriage moving means changes the position of the second end of the transfer conveyor relative to the output conveyor during transfer of articles from the transfer conveyor to the output conveyor.
The transferring conveyor feature of the present invention advantageously transports the formed dough balls from the intermittently moving forming conveyor to the continuously moving output conveyor without damaging the formed dough balls. Because the forming conveyor and the output conveyor move at different speeds, formed dough balls would be damaged if the transfer conveyor was not provided. The transferring means matches the speed of the transfer conveyor to the speed of the forming conveyor during transfer of formed dough balls from the forming conveyor to the transfer conveyor. The transferring means matches the speed of the transfer conveyor to the speed of the output conveyor during transfer of formed dough balls from the transfer conveyor to the output conveyor. This feature advantageously permits the rapid transfer of the formed dough balls from the forming to the output conveyor without damaging the formed dough balls.
According to another aspect of the present invention, forming means is provided including a forming head assembly having a rotatable support member including three side portions and an axis of rotation. A first set of forming heads is coupled to a first side portion of the support member. The first set of forming heads is aligned in a predetermined pattern for forming dough balls on the forming conveyor into predetermined shapes. A second set of forming heads is coupled to a second side portion of the support member aligned in a predetermined pattern for forming dough balls situated on the forming conveyor into predetermined shapes. A third set of forming heads is coupled to a third side portion of the support member aligned in a predetermined pattern for forming dough balls situated on the forming conveyor into predetermined shapes.
Each forming head of the first, second, and third sets of forming heads include a release plate, a forming surface for forming a dough ball against the forming conveyor into a predetermined shape, and means for extending the release plate away from the forming surface. The forming area of the forming surfaces is different for each set of forming heads. A different set of forming heads is situated over the forming conveyor depending upon the size of the dough ball being processed. The extending means moves the release plate downwardly away from the forming surface upon upward movement of the forming head away from the forming conveyor so that the release plate engages the formed dough ball and forces the formed dough ball away from the forming surface. This feature advantageously prevents the formed dough ball from sticking to the forming surface.
The forming means further includes means for mounting the support member in the predetermined position above the forming conveyor to align a selected one set of the first, second, or third sets of forming heads over the forming conveyor. Means for moving the selected set of forming heads relative to the forming conveyor is provided to form the dough balls aligned in the predetermined pattern on the forming conveyor into predetermined shapes.
This forming head assembly feature advantageously permits the system to process dough balls having different sizes to produce formed dough balls having different diameters or shapes without the formed dough balls sticking to the forming heads. If an operator wishes to change the size of the dough balls being processed, the operator simply rotates the support member to align a new set of forming heads over the forming conveyor. Therefore, rapid production of formed dough balls from the dough balls having various sizes is facilitated.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the delivery conveyor includes a carriage assembly having a head roll defining the output end of the delivery conveyor. The processing system includes means for moving the carriage assembly from an extended position to a retracted position to change the position of the output end of the delivery conveyor with respect to the forming conveyor to supply articles such as dough balls to the plurality of predetermined locations on the forming conveyor.
The alignment means includes a plurality of alignment funnels. Each alignment funnel has an input end for receiving articles falling from the output end of the delivery conveyor and an output end positioned over a predetermined location on the forming conveyor. Therefore, articles falling through the alignment funnels are automatically properly positioned on the forming conveyor in a predetermined pattern. This feature advantageously permits the delivery conveyor to supply a continuous stream of articles to the forming conveyor which are automatically aligned in the predetermined pattern so that the forming conveyor can transport the predetermined pattern of articles to the forming means. This feature advantageously facilitates mass production of the formed articles.
A centering mechanism can be provided for centering articles on the forming conveyor. Centering may be required for articles such as dough balls which have irregular shapes. Such irregularly shaped articles may settle about random points on the forming conveyor which are not precisely centered in the predetermined position. Therefore, the centering mechanism enables irregularly shaped articles to be properly aligned and centered on the forming conveyor for forming by the forming means.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.